Technical support

[gpindc]

I am writing on behalf of a client/friend who is 81 years old and asked if I would contact HP on his behalf.  Briefly, his Pavillion desktop stopped working.  It was a critical time that the computer not be down.  The computer was only a year old with an extended warranty. 

Days of working with the technical support service on the phone, provided no fix--they were misdiagnosing the problem, which was clear to me.  They were certain it was a problem with the graphics card.  It was clear it was not.  Then they thought it was the motherboard, sending a technician to the house.  He discovered the computer needed a new CPU.  Ten days had passed since he first called HP saying the computer was down.  He was told he had to send the computer to HP.  A few days later, he received a fixed computer, but the hard drive was reformatted--he had checked the box on the form requesting they back up the hard drive.  . 

Frustrated, discouraged, disappointed, I drafted two letters for him to send to Meg Whitman, one describing the disappointing technical support, the second letter about HP sending him back the fixed computer only for him to discover that the hard drive was reformatted.

After a month, he has not received a reply from Ms. Whitman or her office.  This experience has tainted his view of HPs products and support.  He has no confidence in HP.

While he had a back up of his computer from a year ago when he took data from the old computer to this new one, he lost a lot of files, including personal items associated to his wife of 56 years who died several months ago, his consulting work, finances, etc.  The loss of data affected his work and time.

HP was ineffective in providing support and made no attempt to correct, apologize, or soothe my client's disappointment and frustration.  His attempt to communicate with HP failed.

I guarantee he will not buy another HP product nor will I recommend it to another client . . . yes, I had recommended he buy this computer last year.

--gpindc